Railroad-switch.



'No. 867,158. PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

- RQABBBY & w. E. RISLEY.

RAILROAD SWITCH APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 190'!- A TTOPNEKS imrrsn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN ABBEY AND WILLIE E. RISLEY, OF CORNING, NEW YORK.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1907.

Application filed July 26, 1907- er l N0- 385,712.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, REUBEN ABBEY and WILLIE E. RIsLEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Corning, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a railroad switch designed particularly for electric roads, especially surburban and interurban lines; and has for its main object to provide an automatic switch operating mechanism set in motion by a slide under the control of the motorman on the car to open the switch to a siding, turnout, or cross over. The switch is held normally open by a long flat spring between the rails rocking one or more straight or bell-crank levers on a rocking shaft, the opposite end of one of said levers being connected by bars to the switch points. The resiliency of the spring holds the switch set to the main line, but when a car is to turn out, a slide on the car is pushed down to engage and depress the spring and thereby rock the bell crank lever which, through its connections, throws the switch to close the main line and open the turnout. As soon as the rear wheels pass the switch points the slide is allowed to rise, releasing the spring which resumes its elevated position and once more restores the switch to its normal position.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railroad track at a switch with the improved mechanism'applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference are used for the same parts on all the figures.

The numerals 1 and 2 indicate the main line track which at this point is on a curve, and the branch turnout or siding is designated by the numerals 3 and 4. The switch points 5 and 6 are attached in the ordinary manner to the inner rails and have attached to their facing ends, bars 7 and 8 pivotally connected to one arm 9 of a bell crank lever fastened to a rock-shaft 10 mounted in bearings secured to some fixed objects, say the cross ties.

Attached to the center of the track just in advance of the switch points and running in the direction of the turnout is a long flanged plate or shallow box 11 within which rests a flat spring 12 substantially as long and as wide as the box. 7 The central part of the spring is horizontal and stands higher than the sides of the box 11, its ends 13 and 14 gradually curving downwardly and rest at each end in the ends of the box. The horizontal portion of the spring begins at one end just over the bell crank lever arm 15 and continues in the direction of the turnout for a distance about equal to that between the tangent points of the first and last wheels on the car.

Pivoted to the bell crank lever arm 15 is a rod 16 fastened at its upper end to the spring 12 so that when the spring is depressed, the elbow lever is rocked in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 3 opening the switch point 5 and closing the one 6, to permit the advancing car passing over the switch onto the rails 3 and 4 of the turnout.

It will be remembered that one end of the horizontal portion of the spring 12 is just above the bell crank lever arm 15. Attached to the other end of said horizontal portion of the spring 12 is a rod 17 reaching downwardly through an opening in the bottom of the box 11 and pivoted to a lever 18 secured on the opposite end of the shaft 1.0 of the bell crank lever. The lever 18 and the arm 15 of the bell crank lever are of equal length and set at the same angle on the shaft so that the switch will move the same distance whether operated by the bell crank lever or the lever 18.

A means for operating the switch mechanism is shown in Fig. 2, which, while convenient, is not insisted upon. As there represented, a pin 19 is mounted to slide vertically through the floor of the front platform of an electric or other car 20 carrying a motor. The pin 19 stands a short distance above the floor and is conveniently provided with a head as shown, and a collar 21 to limit its upward movement caused by a coil spring 22 surrounding the pin below the collar, and supported by a yoke bearing 23 fastened to the bottom of the car. The lower end of the pin 19 carries an anti-friction roller 24 which travels in the center of the track and above the spring 20. Assume that a car is approaching the switch from the left and desires to leave the main line. Just before reaching the position of the car 20 Fig. 2, the motorman presses on the pin 19 moving it down to the position indicated by dotted lines in said figure. As the car advances, the roller 24 passing over the spring 12, forces it downward (see dotted lines) which, through the rod 16, rocks the bell crank lever and moves the two switch points in the same direction to set the switch to the turnout, as in dotted lines, Fig. 1, thus permitting the front wheels of the car to pass onto the rails 3 and 4. As the car advances with the pin 19 continuously held down, the spring will be held in the bottom of the box and the switch remain set for the turnout until the front wheels of the car are safely across the switch points and some distance beyond. If the car should be one with a long wheel base, it is probable the spring will rise behind the anti-friction roller before the rear car wheels reach the switch. To provide against this difliculty, the shaft 10, lever 18 and rod 17 are introduced. As represented by dotted lines in Fig. 1, before the rear wheels of the car arrives at the switch points 5 and 6, the pin 19 with its roller 24 has reached that part ofthe spring 12 in the neighborhood of the rod 17 and depressed it, rocking the lever 18 and the shaft 10, said Spring, and ving The bell crank lever on the other end of the shaft, immediately sets the switch, should it be open to the turnout and the rear wheels follow the forward ones. When the pin passes off the spring, or it is released by the motorman, the spring resumes its normal position and sets the switch for the main line. When a car is returning from the track 3 and 4 to the main line track, the switch points are operated by the wheel flanges in the usual manner.

While it is desirable to place the spring 12 between the rails, it may be situated outside the track on the ends of the cross ties and operate both switch points from that side.

Throughout this specification two movable switch points have been referred to. This is not absolutely necessary as one point may be a fixed one as in the old practice. In the more modern practice two movable points are used and for this reason two have been described herein. It is to be understood however that the use of one movable switch point has not been sacrificed though not mentioned in the description.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A railroad switch having movable switch points, a Hat depressible spring extending longitudinally of the track, and a lever below the spring connected to the switch points and to the spring for moving said switch points in one direction by means on an advancing car depressing l l 1 l l l l l l them in opposite direction by the resiliency of the spring when said means has been removed.

2. A railroad switch having movable switch points. a flat depressible spring extending longitlulinally oi the track between the rails, a bell crank lever bclow the spring and connected thereto by one ot' its arms, a connecting; rod extending from each switch point to the other arln of said hell crank, and means on a passing car for dcprcssing said spring and throwing the switch.

3. A railroad switch normally set for one line but having a movable switch point for setting it. to another linc, combined with a Hat longitudinal spring. a support there for, a bell crank lever pivoted below said spring and connected thereto by one of its arms and a connecting rod extendin' from the other arm of the hell crank lever to the movable switch point and mean icd by a passing car for moving said point: by depress 11 said spring.

-l. A railroad switch having a movable switch point or points, a box extending longitudinally ol' the track, a tlat spring supported in said box, a longitudinal shaft carrying a bell crank lever at one end and a straight lover at the opposite end, said levers being near the end of and below the spring, a connection bet ween each lever and the spring above it and a bar or bars pivoted to the opposite arm of the hell crank lever and attached to one or both movable switch points.

In testimony that; we claim the foregoing we have hereto atlixed our two witnesses.

as our own, signatures in the prcscnco ot' REUBEN ABBEY. WILLIE I lllblll lY, Witnesses BERT Annm', Finn). 0. SIMONS. 

